Grantham, PA – The No. 9 Messiah softball team swept Albright College this evening winning the first game 3-0 and they won the second game 8-0 in five innings. Amanda Jones reached a milestone recording her 100th career RBI, she finished 2-3 with two runs scored and three RBI's on the day. Samantha Esper was 5-6 with two runs scored and McKenzie Tebbs also had two hits. Erin Cressman crushed her third home run of the season in game one.
 
Carrie Fix (5-2) threw the complete game shut out in the first game giving up just four hits and striking out eight batters. Madelyn Yannetti (8-0) earned the game two win throwing four innings, allowed just two hits, and Jaelynn Harbold made her collegiate debut to finish off the game and earn a save.
 
The Falcons improved to 16-3 overall on the season and 4-0 in the MAC Commonwealth. A quick turn around as they play tomorrow afternoon at Lebanon Valley with a game time set for 3:00 p.m.
 
Game One: Messiah 3, Albright 0
A fairly quiet game one, both teams struggled offensively but sometimes in softball all you need is one run. Messiah scored first in the third inning when Shannon Denny got things started with a one out single. Carrie Fix advanced her to second on a sacrifice bunt, and then Samantha Esper singled. Denny advanced to third and eventually scored on the play as Esper advanced safely to second base.
 
The Falcons added another run in the bottom of the fifth, Sydney Boreman hit a shot to right center for the double. Nicole Kreimer entered to pinch run and was moved to third on a sacrifice by Kyra Bond. Shannon Denny then reached on a fielder's choice and Kreimer got caught in a run-down between third and home, and was eventually tagged out. With Denny at second base, Fix lifted a single to left field to give Messiah a 2-0 lead.
 
Erin Cressman added an insurance run for Messiah bottom of the sixth crushing a home run over the center field fence, her third of the year. Albright managed to get runners on base in the top of the seventh, but with runners on first and second, Amanda Jones made a nice defensively play to get the force out at third. Carrie Fix then retired the final batter on a ground out to end game one.
 
Game Two: Messiah 8, Albright 0
The offensive was well and alive for Messiah in the second game as they racked up 10 hits and scored eight runs for a short five-inning game. Carrie Fix was hit by a pitch and then stole second. Samantha Esper laid down a nice bunt, reaching base safely and Fix advanced to third. Amanda Jones then hit a single, recording her 100th career RBI, scoring Fix on the play. With runners at second and third, Amber Bingaman delivered an RBI ground out, and then McKenzie Tebbs hit a double to right center to score Jones. Messiah had a 3-0 lead after the first inning.
 
In the bottom of the second inning, Sydney Boreman walked to start things off and Emily Quatrale reached on an error by the pitcher. With one out, Fix walked to load the bases and Esper hit a single to center field to score Boreman. Amanda Jones then ripped a single that score Quatrale and Fix to extend Messiah's Lead 6-0.  Esper then scored safely on a passed ball and during the same play Jones scored on a throwing error by the catcher. The Falcons strung together a few more hits but were unable to push any more runs across. They scored five runs off five hits and left two on base in the second inning.
 
The Messiah defense was strong throughout the day and Albright rarely had opportunities to score. Regina Milburn reached base due to an error in the fourth inning but then Jones made a nice play up the middle for the first out and Yannetti forced Camille Sears to ground in a double play to end the inning.
 
Jaelynn Harbold entered to pitch in the top of the fifth and the Lions were unable to push a run across thus invoking a five-inning mercy rule in favor of the Falcons.